1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toy top in which a revolving speed is changed during revolution thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, toy tops have been popular in children""s playgrounds, and children often play a game in which they strike their toy tops against those of their companions so as to beat the companions"" toy tops or drive out the toy tops of their companions from a game space or game board by means of their own toy tops. However, since such a simple game in which a toy top is revolved to be struck against companions"" toy tops is merely decided by a player""s force and skill, this game is not much fun. Therefore, toy tops having highly competitive characteristics are provided by adding such mechanisms that parts can be replaced and revolving characteristics change during the revolution of the toy top.
In these toy tops, a toy top having a mechanism in which revolving characteristics change during revolution is known (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-962).
However, since the above technique utilizes a wireless technique and requires a controller as well as a toy top, there arises a problem that it is fairly expensive and thus few children would get such a toy top.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problem.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toy top which is capable of quickening a revolving speed at an initial revolving period, an end revolving period or an intermediate revolving period by means of a simple structure.
In accordance with the present invention, a toy top is provided. The toy top includes a toy body and a revolving shaft provided on a center of a bottom surface of the toy body so as to be rotatable. The toy top further includes a main spring power device arranged inside the toy body, the main spring power device being linked with the revolving shaft. Such construction permits the revolving shaft to be revolved by the force of the main spring, so that the revolving speed can be quickened during the revolution of the toy top.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main spring power device includes latch means for maintaining a winding-up position when a main spring is wound up and a button for releasing the latch means so as to release a revolving force of the main spring; and the toy body includes a press mechanism for pressing the button according to a change of a centrifugal force during revolution of the toy body. When the toy top revolves and the generated centrifugal force changes, the press mechanism operates to press the button of the main spring power device so that the latch means of the main spring power device is released, thereby releasing the wound-up main spring and transmitting its driving force to the revolving shaft. For this reason, the revolving force of the toy top increases, and the toy top abruptly starts to revolve more quickly. In such a manner, the revolving speed can be quickened during the revolution of the toy top by the simple structure without a controller, so that a player can enjoy a more fascinating game using the toy top, which game is not provided by a conventional toy top.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the button protrudes to an outside of the main spring power device; and the press mechanism includes a press member for pressing the button by utilizing the centrifugal force generated due to the revolution of the toy body, the press member being arranged in a position which surrounds the main spring power device. The press member is kept separating from the button before the toy body revolves, and the button is pressed by the centrifugal force during the revolution of toy top. Therefore, before the toy top is initially revolved by the shooter or the like, it is not necessary to perform a special operation such as pulling out a certain part of the toy top against the spring, and thus, it is easy to operate the toy top.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the press member is arranged so as to be movable in a direction where the press member presses or separates from the button, and is urged by a spring in a direction where the press member separates from the button, to thereby press the button against a force of the spring due to a rise of the centrifugal force during the revolution of the toy body. When the toy top revolves and the generated centrifugal force rises, the press mechanism operates so that the press member presses the button of the main spring power device and the latch means of the main spring power device is released, thereby releasing the wound-up main spring and transmitting its driving force to the revolving shaft. For this reason, the revolving force of the toy top increases, and the toy top abruptly starts to revolve more quickly. In such a manner, the revolving speed can be quickened during the revolution of the toy top with the simple structure without a controller, so that a player can enjoy a more fascinating game using the toy top, which game is not provided by a conventional toy top.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the press member is arranged so as to be movable in a direction where the press member presses or separates from the button, and is urged by a first spring in the direction where the press member presses the button; and the press mechanism further includes a holding member which is arranged so as to be movable between a position where the holding member is engaged with the press member and a position where the holding member is disengaged from the press member, and which is urged by a second spring so as to be engaged with the press member in a state that the press member separates from the button, and which is moved to the position where the holding member is disengaged from the press member against the force of the second spring due to the centrifugal force during the revolution of the toy body, whereby the press member disengages from the holding member and presses the button with the force of the first spring due to a reduction in the centrifugal force during the revolution of the toy body. Though the engagement between the holding member and the press member is released due to the centrifugal force, the centrifugal force at the initial revolution of the toy top is so strong that the press member does not press the button. However, when the centrifugal force is reduced, the press member presses the button by the force of the spring. As a result, the revolving speed rises at the final period of the revolution of the toy top, and thus a unique toy top can be provided.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the revolving shaft includes a ring portion formed to have a larger size than the toy body. In this embodiment, the main spring of the toy body is wound up, and when the toy top is revolved by a suitable shooter or the like, simultaneously the main spring may be released. Although the toy top revolves about the revolving shaft, simultaneously the revolving shaft itself revolves due to the release of the main spring. However, since the ring portion having a larger size than the toy body is mounted to the revolving shaft, the revolving shaft cannot revolve immediately at high speed due to the flywheel effect of the ring portion. The revolution of the revolving shaft is quickened gradually. Moreover, since the inertial force is exerted on the revolving shaft, the revolution of the toy top is in no hurry to stop. For this reason, revolving characteristics can be such that when the revolving shaft revolves, the revolving speed of the toy body also rises, but a degree of the rise is slow, and the revolving force of the toy top increases gradually and the revolution is long-lasting due to the inertia. Therefore, the revolving speed rises at the intermediate period of the revolution, and thus a unique toy top can be provided.
In addition, when the toy top as well as another toy top are revolved and are struck against each other on the game board, since the ring portion of the toy top has a larger size than the toy body, the competitor""s toy top strikes against the ring portion, thereby strengthening the force with which the competitor""s toy top is flicked away or knocked over. Moreover, since the ring portion is larger than the toy body, the flywheel effect on the toy body is enhanced.